Railway tracks exist, what is blocking the launch of a circular train?
There are infrastructure for circular train services among serveral districts but initiatives are not being taken. Agamir Somoy.
There is a railway connection that allows a train to travel from Dhaka through Mymensingh, Jamalpur, Sarishabari, Tarakandi, Bhuyapur, and Tangail and then return to Dhaka. Although there is potential to run a circular train on this route using the existing tracks and stations, there is no initiative.
If such a train could be launched by coordinating the relevant corridors, an alternative travel arrangement for the people of several districts could be made without building an entirely new railway line.
The proposed railway route is Dhaka, Airport, Joydebpur, Tangail, Ibrahimabad, Bhuyapur, Hemnagar, Jagannathganj Bazar, Tarakandi, Sarishabari, Jamalpur, Mymensingh, and Gafargaon, and then back to Joydebpur and Dhaka. However, to launch a circular train on this route, the existing infrastructure, rail connections, schedules, and operational capacity need to be assessed.
Trains are currently running on a large portion of the existing railway line. There is a rail connection from Dhaka to Jamalpur via Mymensingh, and from there to Ibrahimabad via Sarishabari and Tarakandi.
On the other hand, there is also a route from Ibrahimabad to Dhaka via Tangail. If these connections can be coordinated, the feasibility of the proposed circular rail communication could be assessed.
At one time, there was a direct rail connection from Jamalpur, Sarishabari, and Tarakandi through Ibrahimabad to Tangail and Dhaka. However, on April 15, 2023, the route of the Jamalpur Express was changed. Reports published at various times citing that this change was made due to the work on the Jamuna Railway Bridge project and the related interlocking system. This disrupted the expected direct train connection on this corridor. In 2026 too, demands have been raised to resume the Jamalpur Express on the Ibrahimabad-Tangail route.
According to local residents, if a direct train is launched on this route, travel for people in Bhuyapur, Gopalpur, Kalihati, Sarishabari, Tarakandi, and surrounding areas will become easier. At the same time, new opportunities for rail communication between the greater Jamalpur and Tangail regions could be created.
A train passenger Habibul Hasan Rizvi said since the railway department currently has a shortage of engines and coaches, and at the same time passenger demand in this region is high, running the Jamalpur Express and Agnibina Express trains in a circular manner would reduce suffering on one hand and benefit both the railway and the general passengers on the other. It would also increase the recognition of the Jamalpur region as the country's first circular rail network.
Another passenger, Sifat Sultana Sraboni, said that the railway line in this region has existed since the British era. The new Jamalpur-Tangail rail connection has also been launched. According to her, if the government takes the initiative, it could assess the possibility of launching a circular railway route using the existing infrastructure.
Under the proposed arrangement, after reaching Jamalpur from Dhaka via Mymensingh, the train could go to Ibrahimabad via Sarishabari and Tarakandi. From there, a plan could be made to return to Dhaka via Tangail and Joydebpur. Similarly, there is also the possibility of operating the train in the opposite direction. However, for this, it is essential to review the rail connections, train schedules, availability of engines and coaches, and operational costs.
According to railway experts, building a new railway line requires huge amounts of money and a long time. Therefore, if there is an opportunity to build an alternative communication system by coordinating the existing railway lines, it could be examined. The proposed circular railway route from Dhaka to Mymensingh, Jamalpur, Sarishabari, Tarakandi, Bhuyapur, and Tangail and back to Dhaka could be a model for that possibility.
Determining whether such a train can be launched by making use of the existing railway lines, stations, and passenger demand requires a formal feasibility assessment. The initiative of the relevant authorities is now important in this regard.
In this connection, Jamalpur Railway Station Master Mahmudul Hasan said, "We have not received any instructions regarding a circular train. The higher authorities can say this. If this train is launched, people in this region will benefit more from Sarishabari."
